As a college lacrosse player prescribed a gluten-free diet, I immediately worried that this restriction would negatively impact my performance. However, with the help of my background in nutrition and some simple swaps, I found that I was able to meet my energy needs, and to my surprise, I felt even better since my gastrointestinal distress had significantly improved.

For additional information for gluten free athletes meeting nutrient needs in college, see my post on lacrosse nutrition , where I take you through what I ate on a typical day of training! Gluten is a combination of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, both of which are found in the endosperm main inner component of wheat, barley and rye.

Gluten is the protein responsible for nourishing the wheat during germination from seed to plant. In the case of celiac disease, gluten consumption provokes an immune response which causes damage to the small intestine, preventing absorption of vital nutrients.

In the case of individuals who have developed an intolerance, they are not able to digest these proteins properly, so similarly, they typically experience gastrointestinal distress, fatigue, headaches, and other symptoms after consuming gluten.

While celiac is a lifelong autoimmune disorder and gluten intolerance is a sensitivity, both can be managed by following a gluten-free diet. However, as mentioned previously, a gluten-free diet should only be adopted if medically necessary.

For athletes who were recently diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, transitioning to a gluten-free diet can be challenging. As an athlete, your diet heavily relies on carbohydrates for maintaining energy levels, preventing fatigue, and refueling, and many carbohydrate rich foods are derived from gluten containing grains.

Hence, the elimination of these familiar items can create various nutritional deficiencies, drastically impacting performance and recovery. However, by making simple, nutrient dense swaps, gluten free athletes can absolutely obtain all of their needs.

Despite the spike in the gluten-free market over the past few years, these certified products are by no means healthier or less processed than their gluten containing counterparts. Instead, gluten free athletes should look to consume minimally processed, whole foods which are naturally gluten-free, to keep nutrient density high and ensure they are receiving adequate fiber, vitamins, and minerals along with their carbohydrates.

There are actually an abundance of naturally gluten-free, nutrient-dense foods! Many whole grains, such as sorghum, millet, rice, amaranth, buckwheat, teff, quinoa, corn, and oats, do not contain gluten. However, the most challenging part for me as an athlete with high energy needs was consuming enough gluten-free carbohydrates.

Oatmeal has become one of my breakfast staples thanks to its slow digesting nature, which provides a sustained release of energy over time. This is what makes oatmeal a wonderful whole grain addition, as it is not only high in complex carbohydrates, but it also has a high soluble fiber content.

It also has various nutrients that aid in performance, such as B vitamins, iron and magnesium. In order to make a balanced breakfast, oats can be topped with fruit, nuts, seeds, and more. Read more about gluten-free labeling here. In addition to carbohydrates, starchy vegetables also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and water, which are all essential for energy, hydration, proper digestion and recovery.

In particular, white potatoes contain even higher levels of potassium than bananas, which is crucial for athletes to maintain proper fluid balance and optimal muscle contraction.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes of all colors are excellent alongside non-starchy vegetables and protein in a meal, or my personal favorite — a baked sweet potato topped with nut butter as a quick snack!

While I often neglected to eat quinoa before going gluten free, I now always have a batch of it prepared in my fridge. Quinoa is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids necessary for muscle building and recovery.

It contains twice as much protein ~8g per cup as rice, making it a great pre or post workout option at meals for athletes. Furthermore, quinoa is also rich in a variety of performance-supporting micronutrients like phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.

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Wrist Sprains Healthful Snack Choices for Youth Sports. Did You Know? Eating healthy helps prevent injuries and improve muscle development. Junk food is calorie rich, sugar loaded and nutrient poor — it provides no nutritional value to the body. Focus On These Points: Emphasize food as fuel: Your body needs quality fuel in the form of food to keep it running properly and maximize performance!

Be a role model: Young athletes admire no one more than you; their parents, coaches, and other adults that influence their daily choices.

Sports drinks should be used after 60 minutes of moderate physical activity. Empower them to make their own health decisions and help inspire their teammates! Fruit salad: Slice or buy pre-cut fruit salad. Bring a serving spoon and individuals bowls to serve to the athletes.

For a fun twist, make fruit kabobs! Fun trail mix: Make a mixture of a dried fruits, nuts, seeds, pretzels, and one sweet. Besides getting the right amount of calories, eating a variety of nutritious foods will help them play at their best.

Most young athletes eat the right amount of food their bodies need. Some young athletes, though, have higher energy and fluid needs. All-day competitions or intense endurance sports like rowing, cross-country running, or competitive swimming can involve 1½ to 2 hours or more of activity at a time.

Kids and teens who do these may need to eat more food to keep up with increased energy demands. The MyPlate food guide offers tips on what kinds of foods and drinks to include in your child's meals and snacks. It's important for young athletes to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration , which can zap strength, energy, and coordination and lead to heat-related illness.

Even mild dehydration can affect athletic performance. Athletes can't rely on thirst to tell if they're getting dehydrated. Thirst is a sign that their body has needed liquids for a while.

Kids should drink water before physical activity and every 15 to 20 minutes throughout. They also should drink water afterward to restore fluid lost through sweat. Many sports drinks are available, but plain water is usually enough to keep kids hydrated.

Kids should avoid sugary drinks and carbonated beverages that can upset the stomach. Sports drinks can be a good choice for kids who do intense physical activity for more than 1 hour.

Some school-age athletes face pressures involving nutrition and body weight. In some sports, it's common for kids to feel they need to increase or reduce their weight to reach peak performance.

In sports that emphasize weight or appearance, such as wrestling , swimming, dance, or gymnastics, kids may feel pressure to lose weight. Because athletic kids need extra fuel, it's usually not a good idea for them to diet. Unhealthy eating habits, like crash dieting, can leave kids with less strength and endurance and poor concentration.